[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76504-76506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21138]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[BLM_OR_FRN_MO4500177924]


Notice of Intent To Amend the Upper Deschutes Resource Management 
Plan and Prepare an Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Recreation 
and Public Purposes Act Land Conveyance to the City of Redmond in 
Deschutes County, Oregon

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act 
of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) 
Oregon/Washington (OR/WA) State Director intends to prepare a Resource 
Management Plan (RMP) amendment with an associated environmental 
assessment (EA) for the Upper Deschutes RMP (2005), and by this notice 
is announcing the beginning of the scoping period to solicit public 
comments, identify issues, and provide the planning criteria for public 
review. The planning process and EA are necessary to evaluate an 
application for a Recreation and Public Purposes Act (RPPA) conveyance 
that would allow the City of Redmond in Central Oregon to expand the 
Redmond Wastewater Expansion Project.

DATES: The BLM requests that the public submit comments concerning the 
scope of the analysis, potential alternatives, and identification of 
relevant information and studies, by October 18, 2024. To afford the 
BLM the opportunity to consider issues in the Draft RMP Amendment/EA, 
please ensure your comments are received prior to the close of the 
scoping period or 15 days after the last public meeting, whichever is 
later.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on issues and planning criteria 
related to the Upper Deschutes RMP Amendment EA by any of the following 
methods:
     Website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022284/510.
     Email: [email protected].
     Fax: 541-416-6782.
     Mail: 3050 NE Third Street, Prineville, OR 97754.
    Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined online at 
https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022284/510 and at the 
Prineville District, Deschutes Field

[[Page 76505]]

Office, 3050 NE Third Street, Prineville, OR 97754.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ferris Couture, Planning and 
Environmental Coordinator, telephone 541-416-6711; address 3050 NE 
Third Street, Prineville, OR 97754; email [email protected]. 
Contact Mrs. Couture to have your name added to our mailing list. 
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, 
or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to 
access telecommunications relay services for contacting Mrs. Couture. 
Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services 
offered within their country to make international calls to point-of-
contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides notice that the BLM 
OR/WA State Director intends to prepare an amendment to the Upper 
Deschutes RMP with an associated EA for the Redmond Wastewater 
Pollution Control Facility Project, announces the beginning of the 
scoping process, and seeks public input on issues and planning 
criteria. The planning process and EA are necessary to evaluate an 
application for a RPPA conveyance that would allow the City of Redmond 
in Deschutes County, Oregon to expand the Redmond Wastewater Pollution 
Control Facility. The RPPA conveyance would allow the City of Redmond 
to acquire 541.5 acres of BLM-administered lands within the Steamboat 
Rock Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA) as designated by the 
Upper Deschutes RMP. The conveyance of these public lands would require 
an amendment to the Upper Deschutes RMP. The scope of this land use 
planning process does not include addressing the evaluation or 
designation of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), and the 
BLM is not considering ACEC nominations as part of this process.

Purpose and Need

    The purpose is to respond to the City of Redmond's RPPA application 
to acquire 541.5 acres of BLM-administered land and to amend the Upper 
Deschutes RMP to allow for the proposed conveyance. The need to respond 
to the RPPA application arises from the RPPA, as amended, and section 
211 of FLPMA, which authorizes the conveyance of public lands to States 
and local governments. Both the RPPA and FLPMA recognize the need for a 
nationwide system of parks and other recreational and public purpose 
areas. The BLM has the authority to approve, approve with modification, 
or not approve the application. In order to authorize a conveyance of 
the lands identified, the BLM would need to amend the Upper Deschutes 
RMP because the area is currently designated as a SRMA.
    The purpose of the amendment is to change the boundary of the SRMA, 
the motorized and non-motorized access and recreation opportunities, 
and the associated trail system within the revised SRMA boundary in 
accordance with FLPMA and the principles of multiple use and sustained 
yield.

Preliminary Alternatives

    The BLM is currently considering three preliminary alternatives. 
Under the No Action alternative, the BLM would not approve the City of 
Redmond's RPPA application to acquire 541.5 acres of BLM-administered 
land to allow for the expansion of its wastewater treatment facility, 
and the BLM would not amend the Upper Deschutes RMP. The Steamboat Rock 
SRMA would retain current access and recreational use. There would be 
no change to the existing 43 miles of motorized and non-motorized 
shared use trail system.
    Under the preliminary Proposed Action alternative, the BLM would 
amend the Upper Deschutes RMP and approve the City of Redmond's RPPA 
application and convey 541.5 acres of BLM-administered land to allow 
for the expansion (construction and operation) of the wastewater 
treatment facility. As part of the conveyance process, a Phase I 
Environmental Site Assessment would be conducted to ensure BLM 
compliance with section 120(h) of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation and Liability Act. In addition, the City of 
Redmond would coordinate with the Environmental Protection Agency and 
other regulatory agencies to ensure the appropriate permits are 
obtained for the proposed use.
    The 541.5 acres, if conveyed to the City of Redmond, would no 
longer be a component of the Steamboat Rock SRMA. The removal of the 
541.5 acres would change access and management of 5 miles of the 
motorized and non-motorized shared use trail systems in the southeast 
corner of the area. The change would not affect the remaining 38 miles 
of trails within the area. Access to the 38 miles of trail in the main 
block of the SRMA would remain open as a designated shared use trail 
system for motorized off-highway vehicles and non-motorized uses. The 
total acreage of the Steamboat Rock SRMA would be 4,329 acres.
    Under the third preliminary alternative, the BLM would take the 
same actions described under the Proposed Action alternative and would 
additionally build 5 miles of trails to make up for those that could be 
lost under the Proposed Action within the remaining acreage of the 
Steamboat Rock SRMA. The replacement trails would be located outside of 
the approximately 492 acres of the Deschutes Wild and Scenic River 
corridor, which is within the western boundary of the SRMA. Under this 
alternative the trail miles in the remaining Steamboat Rock SRMA would 
be approximately 43 miles.
    The BLM welcomes comments on all preliminary alternatives as well 
as suggestions for additional alternatives.

Planning Criteria

    The planning criteria guide the planning effort and lay the 
groundwork for effects analysis by identifying the preliminary issues 
and their analytical frameworks. Preliminary issues for the planning 
area have been identified by BLM personnel and from early engagement 
with Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and stakeholders. The 
BLM has identified three preliminary issues for this planning effort's 
analysis: ground and well water quality and quantity issues, cultural 
resource concerns, and available recreation uses and access issues. The 
planning criteria and a map are available for public review and comment 
at the ePlanning website (see ADDRESSES).

Public Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping period and public 
review of the planning criteria, which guide the development and 
analysis of the RMP amendment and EA.
    The BLM does not intend to hold any public meetings, in-person or 
virtually, during the public scoping period. Should the BLM later 
determine to hold public meetings, the specific date(s) and location(s) 
of any meeting will be announced at least 15 days in advance through 
the media and the following methods. To inform the public of both the 
scoping period and any potential public meetings, a press release will 
be provided to two local television stations, six radio stations, five 
local newspapers, direct mailing to interested members of the public, 
and publication of documents to BLM's ePlanning project page.
    After the scoping process, the BLM will prepare and circulate an EA 
for public review and comment.

[[Page 76506]]

Interdisciplinary Team

    The BLM will use an interdisciplinary approach to develop the plan 
in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns 
identified. Specialists involved in this planning effort include: 
wildlife biologist, hydrologist, botanist, archaeologist, recreation 
specialist, planning and environmental coordinator, and realty 
specialist.

Additional Information

    The BLM will identify, analyze, and consider mitigation to address 
the reasonably foreseeable impacts to resources from the proposed plan 
amendment and reasonable alternatives and, in accordance with 40 CFR 
1502.14(e), include appropriate mitigation measures not already 
included in the proposed plan amendment or alternatives. Mitigation may 
include avoidance, minimization, rectification, reduction or 
elimination over time, and compensation, and may be considered at 
multiple scales, including the landscape scale.
    The BLM will utilize and coordinate the NEPA and land use planning 
processes for this planning effort to help support compliance with 
applicable procedural requirements under the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1536) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 
(54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3), including public 
involvement requirements of Section 106. The information about historic 
and cultural resources and threatened and endangered species within the 
area potentially affected by the proposed plan will assist the BLM in 
identifying and evaluating impacts to such resources.
    The BLM will consult with Indian Tribal Nations on a government-to-
government basis in accordance with Executive Order 13175, BLM MS 1780, 
and other Departmental policies. Tribal concerns, including impacts on 
Indian trust assets and potential impacts to cultural resources, will 
be given due consideration. Federal, State, and local agencies, along 
with Indian Tribal Nations and stakeholders that may be interested in 
or affected by the proposed conveyance and Upper Deschutes RMP 
Amendment that the BLM is evaluating, are invited to participate in the 
scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by the 
BLM to participate in the development of the RMP amendment and EA as a 
cooperating agency.
    Before including your address, phone number, email address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.9 and 43 CFR 1610.2)

Barry R. Bushue,
State Director Oregon/Washington BLM.
[FR Doc. 2024-21138 Filed 9-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4331-24-P